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Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen, the founders of the Giant supermarket chain, started the Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation (NNCF) in 1959.[1] NNCF primarily gives grants to organizations in the Washington, D.C. area and in Israel. Today, the Foundation distributes $4 million in grants each year to organizations supportive of abortion, left-wing economics, environmentalists, and left-of-center Israel policy.[2]

Left-of-Center Israel Focused Organizations

NNCF gives support to the left-wing group Americans for Peace Now (APN).[3] APN has partially endorsed the anti-Israeli Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, supporting boycotts of Israeli products from disputed territories beyond the 1949 armistice lines.[4]

APN endorsed the Obama administration’s Iran nuclear deal and called on Congress to save the deal after the Trump administration decertified it.[5][6] When Mike Pompeo was nominated for Secretary of State, APN opposed his confirmation in part because of his opposition to the Iran deal.[7] During the 2012 presidential election, APN attacked Republican candidate Mitt Romney as “anti-Israel” for questioning the Palestinians willingness to negotiate for peace in good faith.[8] APN defended President Obama’s stances towards Israel and even labeled him “Israel’s Unsung Protector.”[9]

The J Street Education Fund is another left-of-center U.S. group that received funding from NNCF.[10] J Street supported the Obama administration’s Iran nuclear deal and worked to build support for it in Congress.[11] In 2017, when President Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, J Street announced its opposition the announcement.[12]

NNCF has provided grants to the New Israel Fund (NIF), a funder of Israeli left-wing and Arab-interest groups.[13] The NIF funds a number of left-wing Israeli organizations, some of which have expressed support for BDS and made other anti-Israel statements.[14]

Environmentalist Groups

The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) is a left-wing group that receives funding from NNCF.[15] CEH created the Environmental Justice Fellowship Program to train left-wing environmentalist college students.[16]